I am currently looking at a longer range lens, to photograph animals in a zoo and stuff.

I been shopping used boards in my area, and I have come across a reasonable deal. 75-300 IS USM for canon. for 365$ canadian, reasonable?

my other question is, how well would this lens function on my 400D ? I currently have the Sigma 70-300 DG, I might as well shoot the animal dead, and then set up a tripod and then take a picture of it.

Crop factor of x1.6 ?

I value any information you guys can give me.

these are the pictures the seller has included. please check them out and give me some idea.

I'm a bit confused about Canon's current range when it comes to the 70-300s and 75-300s. I think the Canon 75-300mm IS USM is an older model. I think the latest is a 70-300mm, again with IS and USM, but it doesn't seem to be listed on the Canon UK website anymore. I heard there were problems, so maybe it was withdrawn?

I had a quick go on the 70-300mm IS USM lens a while back and found the optical quality was actually pretty good, but the build felt quite plasticky and the focusing nowhere as quick as, say, the 70-300mm DO. The front element also rotated while focusing and almost clunked when it reached the closest focusing distance.

I can't vouch for the seller of the lens in question, but I'd definitely recommend trying the exact same model in a store first to see if it handles to your satisfaction. There's a lot of 70/75-300s from Canon, new and old, so it's worth making sure you know the capabilities of the one you're buying!

Has anyone used the 75-300mm IS USM which Jimmy's considering?

Gordon

PS - you might also want to check out the Sigma 50-500mm, although it doesn't have stabilisation.

The 75-300 IS USM is a discontinued model which supports Canon's first generation IS technology. There is a review at http://tinyurl.com/3msge. This model was replaced by the EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM which is reviewed at http://tinyurl.com/cajcg. That review makes a number of references about comparative performance with the older model. If you are going to use this lens a lot it may be worth stretching the budget to opt for the EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM or one of the other alternatives that Gordon mentions.